Bonding And Ice Cream
by AdventureBound
Summary: Another sweet little fic, based around Alan and Jeff. 4 Year old Alan thinks everyone doesn't like him, but they prove him wrong. Cute fluffy fic...


Okay another soppy fic! Just love the bonding between father and son in Jeff and Alan.

Again I don't know all the facts behind Thunderbirds, please don't hate me for mistakes on that part, I do try and look up stuff! :)

Again they're OOC but I like it that way!

Enjoy!

* * *

Alan, in his youth had always been a good little boy; he always did as his father asked of him. The older boys didn't really want to play with Alan today and Jeff had told Alan that he should find his own path, try and look for something he was good at doing and do that.

Alan was four years old and he hadn't the first idea what his father meant by it, but he understand when he said 'find your own path.'

So when Virgil took the boys off towards the swimming pool area, Alan decided to fork right and go do his own little thing…That and there was a REALLY weird butterfly that had his attention.

"Fly!" Alan laughed, clutching his bear to his chest and gripping hold of the hand rail that lead down the stairs to the beach. He managed that okay and stopped at the bottom, watching the butterfly flutter towards the trees, deeper into the forest that lined the shore before the sand and ocean.

In the distance, Alan could hear the other boys playing in the water. A part of him wanted to go and join in and he even turned around to make his way back up the stairs, but the butterfly he had been chasing flew around him and caught his attention again.

He, in his innocence, decided it would be fun to go on a little journey of his own. He ran quickly after the butterfly, but just as he was about to run out on to the beech a pair of hands grabbed him from behind.

"Whoa there Alan!" Jeff caught his son; he'd seen him coming down here.

"Fly!" Alan shouted and reached out towards it.

"Not today little man, you need to stay with your brothers so they can look after you."

Alan looked down and rubbed his eyes a little, his father feeling like he'd taken the one thing that made Alan happy away from him. "Come on Sprout, let's get some lunch."

"Daddy..?" Alan looked up at him and Jeff carried him back up towards the house.

"Yes little man?"

"Me want ice cream."

"I'm sure I can find something looking remarkably like ice cream in the freezer…"

"Yay!"

"Only if you eat ALL of your dinner though…"

"Aw…" Alan rested his head down against his father's neck and cuddled his bear close. As Jeff arrived at the pool he immediately looked to Scott.

"Scott, my office now! The rest of you - dinner!"

Scott knew from the way he was carrying Alan that Alan had gone off again and once again it was his fault, he was in trouble but he was prepared. Jeff moved off towards the dinner table and put down his son in a chair, looking at the boys in turn.

"If he wanders off again, you're all grounded for the rest of the year." The boys didn't respond, but tucked into their dinners respectively. Jeff moved off towards his office Scott trailing behind with his arms crossed. Jeff immediately sat down in his chair and waited for Scott, who stormed into the room ready for the argument.

"Scott what have I told you about Alan? How many times have I told you to make sure he's with you? If you don't look out for him one of these days he'll wander off and he'll get himself hurt or worse!"

"Dad, I try to look out for him, I do honest! But it's easy for him to get left behind, Virgil and I were…"

"I don't want to know what you and Virgil were planning on doing." Jeff cut in with his angry, over protective father mode in full force. "The fact is Scott; you just can't find any reasonable amount of responsibility for Alan at all."

"Why should I?" Scott was angry too now; he wanted his father to listen to his side.

"Why should you?" Jeff laughed, leaning back in his chair. "He's your brother Scott!"

"Every time he wanders off you bring me in here and tell me what a rubbish brother I am, you never tell Virgil or…"

"You're the eldest Scott it's your responsibility!"

The shouting grew louder and the other boys sat silently as the pair argued it out in Jeff's office. Scott was trying to get his dad to listen to him and Jeff was trying to get him to realize that he should be a better brother, the two collided with themselves.

Alan didn't know why they were shouting but curiosity was pecking at him and he slid off his chair, Virgil stopped him almost immediately.

"No sprout!" Virgil chided, pulling him back and sitting him in the chair.

"Boy dad's really angry." Virgil mentioned as he retook his seat.

"Yeah so is Scott." John cut in, worried about his dad's outburst.

"Alan stop it!" Gordon glared at him for throwing peas at his brother's head. "You always get us into trouble, why did you have to come and ruin everything…"

"Daddy?" Alan looked to them curiously; knowing in some way what he said wasn't very nice.

"Grow up Alan!" Virgil took his hand and tapped it to get him stop with the peas. Alan didn't welcome the tap and looked down with sorrow. As soon as the shouting died a bit, the boys spoke amongst themselves and it was easy for Alan to slide off the chair and go find the one person who made him happy…His father.

As he approached the door where Scott and Jeff were arguing, Alan gently leant against the wall. He listened for a moment wanting to make sure he was allowed to go in, but neither Scott nor Jeff saw him.

"Dad he's nothing but a trouble maker, ever since Alan came he's ruined everything we ever had as a family!"

"How dare you say that about your brother Scott?" Jeff sighed and shook his head. "Okay so I get you guys feel left out, I can't ignore Alan I took care of all of you the best I could without your mother."

"At least she gave a damn!" Jeff slammed his fist on the table angrily and stood leaning over the table at him. Alan was a little bit frightened and didn't dare to make his entrance yet…He knew they were talking about him though.

"You think I don't give a damn Scott? I do my best to bring you up and this is the thanks I get? Okay Alan can be a cry baby some times, he is extremely clingy and yeah he drives me nuts sometimes but…"

"See! You agree with me! Alan shouldn't have ever been born, mom died because of him!"

"Scott!" Jeff said angrily, but stopped when he heard a noise…Alan knocked the table accidentally as he stood in the door way, Alan knew his mother had gone away; he didn't know it was his fault…

"Alan…" Jeff looked at him, Alan had tears in his eyes, they hated him. Scott covered his mouth; he hadn't meant to say it that way…And certainly not to for his brother's ears to hear…

Alan turned, dropping the teddy to the floor and bolted. Jeff was up and away, running after him Alan dived into his room and hid under his desk. Jeff saw him go in there and Scott followed on behind.

"Alan…" Jeff said, slowly walking towards the desk and kneeling down at it. He felt awful, he shouldn't have said anything at all. "Hey buddy…Come on its okay…"

"No!" Alan cried out in anger, sobbing. "I want mommy!"

"I…" Jeff tried; he wished Lucy was here too…She'd have known what to do. "Alan please…I'm sorry I didn't mean to…" As he attempted to bring his son out from under the desk, Alan struggled and broke free, running past Scott easily and away from them.

"Alan!" Scott called out, looking to his father who ran past him trying to play catch up with Alan.

"Alan!" Jeff called out as he lost sight of his son.

"Dad!" Scott shouted from behind him.

"Go get your brother's now and find Alan!" He shot at him angrily. They all began the search for him, every time they spotted him though Alan disappeared. Trouble was he was young and small and could hide in any corner without being spotted.

They'd been searching for hours and yet Alan was nowhere to be found. Jeff wasn't giving up though, he ordered everyone on Tracy Island to look for him and eventually after John searched the beach, he found him curled up and sobbing under a log.

He'd carried him back to the house as Jeff was walking through the door from the hall. "Alan!" Jeff said thanking every part of himself and walked over to him, Alan freaked and struggled trying to get away from him and only clung to John more.

"You hate me!" Alan cried, rubbing his tired eyes. Jeff shook his head.

"No Alan, no that's not true at all I love you very much we all do…" Jeff tried but Alan was having none of it, he cried out, struggling again to get away from his approaching father.

"I think I should put Alan to bed dad…" John said gently, looking up at him Jeff stared at Alan for a long moment before lowering his head and nodding, how could this have happened?

John walked away towards Alan's room and the boys sat down on the sofa, ready for the telling off…But it never came. "Boys, thank you." Jeff said simply, turning immediately and walking out of the room towards his office.

As the night drew in, the boys in turn came and said goodnight to Jeff, he kissed them all and cuddled them before watching them leave and go to bed, the sun was set and he could see the stars and moon glistening down on his desk top.

The night passed slowly, Jeff didn't want to sleep he just stared at the photo of the boys and Lucy on his desk. He missed her terribly; he could only imagine how much the boys missed her. Was he doing a good job? Could he manage with out Lucy around? Would Alan ever forgive him? How could he have said those things…Alan wasn't a cry baby or clingy, he was just young and needed his dad now more than ever…

Alan woke up in the middle of the night, his little eyes sore from crying, his head ached and he didn't feel very well…As much of a growing boy that he was, he couldn't stay mad at his father…But what he and his brother had said made him sniffle a bit more. He glanced at the photo of his mommy on his desk and he knew she'd gone somewhere so he wanted to go and be with her too.

Putting on some clothes, Alan struggled to pull a rucksack from his closet. After many attempts he did finally manage and filled it with his favourite toys. He zipped it up a little and wondered where Mr. Tumble was…Then he remembered dropping him in his dad's office.

He knew Mr. Tumble would help him find his mommy so he had to go back for him. Walking out through his bedroom door, he slid his shoes on and then returned down the hall slowly. Mr. Tumble wasn't where he'd left him, he was on his daddy's desk, but daddy was there too…

Alan thought it would be nice to tell his father where he was going so he wouldn't be mad and also ask him for his bear back.

Jeff rocked silently back in the chair, clicking the pen on and off in his left hand as he gazed through the overly large windows, thinking about Scott and how he'd been horrible to him too.

"Daddy?" Alan asked as he approached the desk. Jeff turned instantly, dropping the pen to the desk and looking at Alan rather confused.

"Alan what are you doing here little man? Why are you dressed?"

"Daddy I'm going to go and be with mommy now, so you and Scott won't fight anymore. You and Scott hate me and mommy doesn't so can me have Mr. Tumble?" He finished, fingering the strap on his backpack on his shoulders.

Jeff felt a lump form in his throat as he listened to his son, innocently thinking he could go and be with Lucy. He leant his elbows forward on his knees and clasped his hands tightly, shaking his head.

"Alan…You can't go to mommy, she's very far away now." Alan didn't say anything, just stared at the strap he was playing with. "I know you miss mommy, I miss her too…Very much." He sighed, picking up Mr. Tumble. "Alan…I know I upset you today and made you cry…But I…I didn't mean to say those things, I was angry and I love you very much. I get angry sometimes, you do too…Everyone gets angry, but that's okay."

"Daddy?" Alan asked looking up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Did mommy go away because of me?" Jeff felt the knot in his stomach churn and he swallowed his growing lump trying to focus on his son.

"No Alan, mommy wanted to stay and be with you, but she couldn't…She had to go play with the angels."

"I wish my mommy would play with me."

"I wish she would too little man…You'll see her again one day though and she'll be so proud of you."

"Daddy?" Alan asked again, Jeff smiled slightly at his questions.

"Yeah?"

"You promised we could have ice cream."

"I did Alan…" Jeff was about to stand when Alan ran towards him with his arms out. Jeff dropped the bear and threw his arms around his youngest, bringing him up his chest and holding him as tight as he could. Jeff could feel the tears stinging his cheeks as his son embraced him, holding onto him so tightly.

"I'm sorry I ran away daddy."

"Oh Alan…" Jeff whispered, wiping the tears before he pulled Alan back to look him in the eyes. "Its okay, I was just worried about you…"

"I love you daddy…"

"I love you too baby boy." Jeff hushed himself and Alan looked around for Mr. Tumble.

"Tumble wants ice cream!" Alan said sheepishly, clambering down to pick him up. Jeff laughed and stood, taking Alan's hand as they walked from his office to the kitchen. Jeff sat his son down and placed a lit candle in between them.

Getting the ice cream out, Jeff scooped some out for he and his son and just as he was about to put it away, the rest of the boys came running in, finding their seats. Jeff laughed out and put his hands on his hips "Okay boys who said you could get up?"

They all pointed at each other, Alan giggled and took his backpack off, setting it down and taking his jacket and shoes off too. He began to tuck into his ice cream as Jeff scooped them all some up before seating himself too.

"Hey Alan, we're going to the beach tomorrow you wanna come?" Scott asked.

"Beach!" Alan laughed out and smiled happily.

"Yeah, though I think Mr. Tumble will have to do a bit of bear bathing…" John joked, nobody laughed for a moment until they all burst out at once.

Jeff watched them all happily, this was more like the family he loved and cherished, for once Jeff appreciated what he had instead of trying to find fault. It hadn't been easy since Lucy had gone but he had a feeling things would only get better for them, with Lucy watching over them, he knew it.

"Daddy?" Alan asked again, Jeff looked from Scott to Alan who flicked ice cream at him.

"Oh right that's it!" He jumped up and chased after the little man, catching him with ease, the other boys following and dived on their dad too. They wrestled and played and laughed for the longest of times until they all laid out around on the floor, chairs and sofas.

Alan was fast asleep on Jeff's chest and he leaned over the sofa slightly to pull the blanket down over him, kissing his forehead and rubbing his blonde hair softly.

"Sleep well little man." He whispered as he fell gently to sleep too.


End file.
